Contents

About the course

School Direct is a programme where schools or partnerships of schools apply for trainee teacher places. This means that schools can choose the teacher training provider they wish to work with and have more control over what training is provided and how it is delivered, including how much training will take place within the school partnership. Schools recruit the trainees they want, and trainees will go on to teach in their school, or another school in their partnership, once qualified. It is part of a wider set of reforms designed to help schools take greater responsibility for leading and shaping ITT, including new approaches to university-school partnerships, Teaching Schools ITT role, and the accreditation of new school-led providers.

For 2019-20 two types of School Direct training places are available:

• The School Direct Training Programme, which is open to all graduates and funded by tuition fees paid by the trainee, who may be eligible to receive a bursary.

• The School Direct Training Programme (salaried), which is an employment-based route into teaching for high quality graduates with three or more years' career experience. The trainee is employed as an unqualified teacher by a school. The DfE provides funding, which the school can use to subsidise the trainee's salary and/or training.

Delta Teaching School Alliance School Direct Trainees will:

• Be supported by outstanding teachers, have a school-based mentor and an academic tutor from the university who will be an expert specialist in the field. All of these will be dedicated to your development towards becoming a high quality reflective practitioner.

• Gain a PGCE which includes qualified teacher status and can be used as the first third of a masters degree if you wish to continue with this accredited professional development in the early part of your career.

• Benefit from high quality sessions with other trainees across Delta Teaching School Alliance to develop your knowledge and application of effective strategies that underpin learning and achievement in the classroom.

• Utilise outstanding current teachers and school leaders to lead taught sessions, ensuring you learn from those who are current teachers and school leaders.

• Benefit from high quality sessions with other PGCE students at the university where research-informed practice and theoretical underpinning of classroom practice will be shared and critiqued.

• Be supported through our Specialist Leaders of Education (SLEs) who are designated practitioners with national recognition for their expertise.

Interview process

After applicants have submitted their application via the UCAS system, we will receive the applications and shortlist applications that meet our entry requirements. We will then invite candidates to a one-day assessment centre, hosted at one of our academies in the Delta Academies Trust group.

The assessment centre will test various skills and qualities through different assessment methods. The assessment centre will involve candidates observing lessons, teaching the panel 'something' (either an academic or non-academic subject) and answering a set of interviews questions. In addition to the tasks mentioned, Primary Phase candidates will have to complete Sheffield Hallam University English and Maths tests and Secondary Phase candidates an English test. The tests are a compulsory requirement for all candidates wanting to train with Sheffield Hallam University and Delta Teaching School Alliance.

Once candidates have completed the one day assessment centre, Delta Academies Trust will confirm via the UCAS system whether candidates have been successful or not. Once candidates have confirmed their training place, Delta Teaching School Alliance and Sheffield Hallam University will write to candidates with an offer letter, outlining conditions of the offer.

How school placements work

Once candidates have been offered a training place on the School Direct Programme with Delta Teaching School Alliance, we will aim to inform candidates of the area in which they will undertake their first training placement within two weeks of the candidate accepting a place. First placements are confirmed at the Delta TSA School Direct Induction which takes place towards the end of the Summer Term (late June / early July).

As Delta Academies Trust has academies based across Yorkshire and the Humber, we will always aim to try and place trainees in academies that are closest to where they live to cut down on commuting time. For more information as to which academies are part of Delta Teaching School Alliance, please visit our website.

Trainees will follow their Academy calendar and the timetable at the University, training in academies four days per week throughout the whole academic year. Each Friday trainees attend the University to learn as part of a professional cohort of training teachers and spend the rest of the week learning to teach in their Academy. They will also complete a placement in a second academy during the Spring Term that provides an alternative experience, and have the opportunity nearer the end of the course to undertake experience in a range of educational settings such as Sixth form academies, Special Needs Academies etc. A trained mentor/school based trainer will work with the trainee and support their professional development throughout the year.

Although trainees will be based in an academy, an important element of this School Direct programme will be training days held each week at the University. Training days will be attended by all School Direct trainees on the programme and will provide opportunities for them to reflect on academy experience and to meet with other School Direct trainees in the region. The course will lead to a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) with the opportunity of gaining up to 60 credits at Masters level, as well as meeting the requirements of Teacher Standards (QTS).

Salary

The School Direct Training Programme (salaried), which is an employment-based route into teaching for high quality graduates with three or more years' career experience. The trainee is employed as an unqualified teacher by a school. The DfE provides funding, which the school can use to subsidise the trainee's salary and/or training.

Financial support

Financial support isn’t available for this course because it comes with a salary.

If you choose a course without a salary, you may be eligible for financial support while you study, including bursaries, scholarships and loans.

Requirements

Qualifications

A UK Honours degree, preferably at classification 2.2 or above or a recognised equivalent qualification in a relevant subject area. In some circumstances we would accept applications from applicants with a third class honours degree who submit a strong personal statement which demonstrates clear qualities suitable for teaching and who has experience of working with children.

GCSE English and Maths at Grade C/4 or above or equivalent.

If you wish to apply for the School Direct Training Programme (Salaried), typically you are required to have at least three years' work experience in addition to the eligibility requirements detailed above.

Personal qualities

Delta TSA, is looking for candidates who demonstrate a clear passion for teaching and a desire to ensure young people achieve their full potential. We require our trainee teachers to be enthusiastic and dedicated to the teaching profession and their academy, so that they become outstanding teachers, working always to the highest standards.

We want candidates who demonstrate key qualities such as:

Empathy

Passion for teaching

Dedication

Patience

Emotional Intelligence

Excellent communication skills

Integrity

Our ultimate goal is for all our trainee teachers to become 'Inspiring Teachers' so that we create 'Inspired Children'.

Other requirements

Trainee responsibilities include:

Participating fully in the programme of monitoring, support and assessment that is agreed with the ITT Coordinator, Mentor, Delta TSA and SHU.

Familiarisation with the Teachers’ Standards and monitoring and auditing their own progress in relation to them.

Ensuring that their conduct throughout the School Direct Programme is always of a professional manner, in line with SHU, Delta TSA and the Academy expectations.

Planning, preparing thoroughly and keeping good records. Be conscientious in researching the subject knowledge you need to teach your lessons.

Support and advice

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